Three Card Spread
The three card reading is the backbone of tarot spreads. In my opinion ;)
The three card spread is the base of all spreads. Most larger spreads can be broken into threes and it is natural as you are reading a spread to group some cards together based on similarities, symbolism, or even where a character is looking. But just looking at a three card spread, there are several ways to read it.
Using the chart below, read these cards according to each different spread. Have fun with it, use keywords to start if you want to, just to get rolling. If you hover on the card image the keyword will appear. You don’t have to use the keywords though, you may just use what comes to mind.
You can also write down your readings, and note any new insights you get about the cards. Get your deck and deal out three new cards and try some of the spreads on them. Create your own three card spreads that suit your particular questions or needs.
The cards can help you tap into your intuition which goes hand in hand with creativity.
| Left Card | Center Card | Right Card |
|---|---|---|
| Past | Present | Future |
| Person 1 | Dynamic | Person 2 |
| Pro | Con | Advice |
| Mind | Heart | Body |
| Thought | Feeling | Action |
| Option | Positive | Negative |
| Issue | Expected | Unexpected |
Grouping From a Larger Spread
You can also use three card spreads to get more information out of a larger spread. For example when I use the Celtic Cross spread (10 cards) I often look at the cards in groupings of three to get more clarity from the reading. What you see in the three cards grouped together and read as whichever three card spread you choose in the moment can add a lot of context and nuance to the reading.
add pic of celtic cross
add pic of each 3 card spread
Combining Three Card spreads
Cross Spread You can also combine three card spreads to make something more in-depth. For example, you can use 5 cards and make a cross, 3 vertical and 3 horizontal. Which allows you to get more apects of a situation. add pic of cross spread
Check In I came up with this spread myself, it is a 3 by 3 grid of cards. I read the top row as my head (mind, thoughts), the middle row as my heart (feelings, intuition), and the bottom row as my body (physical body, energy and the material world). The very middle card is me at this moment in time. The middle column is my present state, the right column is where I am going and the left column where I came from.
You can get a lot of information, ideas and intuitions using this spread. You can read left to right, up to down, diagonally, the corners, and any other patterns that stick out to you. Take your time, have fun. When the inspiration slows, let it sit and come back to it later for a brief look. Move on to the next practice when you are ready.
